Cineworld announces new ‘superscreen’ for Hemel Hempstead

James Averill

Fans of the big screen can expect an exciting new addition to their local cinema.

Cineworld has announced that it will be introducing a new superscreen auditorium at its Hemel Hempstead multiplex, which will give the cinema 17 screens in total.

The venue, in Jarman Park, is currently undergoing a full renovation, which once complete will boast 1,788 seats across all of its screens.

The new ceiling-high and wall-to-wall superscreen gives a brighter 3D experience and high quality sound levels with speakers that are powered by 44 amplifiers.

The screen will also complement the IMAX theatre currently within the venue.

The full refitting operation is set to be complete by Friday March 17 just in time for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, while a Starbucks is planned to open later this year within the building.

The move to implement the superscreen comes after the cinema was included as part of a £96m acquisition of five Empire cinemas by Cineworld - one of which included was Empire’s Venue at the iconic Leicester Square.

Although the deal was struck in August last year, the merger was only approved by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in December, after concerns that it could lead to a ‘lessening of competition’ due to the concentrated number of Cineworld venues within the region.

After the CMA decided not to refer the acquisition, the renovation of the multiplex has begun - with the new superscreen auditorium set to house 307 people.

Paul Dorrell, general manager at Cineworld Hemel Hempstead, said: “We are always looking at the latest innovations in technology.

“With superscreen we are giving people more choice to watch a movie how they want.”